WECA Rail Plan

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

Looking at Google Maps, a north-facing chord from Henbury direction towards Severn Beach would be a bit tight, but is certainly doable, even without demolition of any buildings or trampling through a solar subsidy farm. From then on, there is ample room for doubling of the line, other than across a single bridge. The line soon doubles already in effect, with the headshunt for the trains taking London's rubbish to be burned somewhere more provincial. This looks to be a growth industry despite the tragic event a few days ago, so we can assume that line is there for keeps. Extending it a further 700 metres would take it nicely into Severn Beach station. It might seem a small point, but a train leaving Avonmouth onto the current single line layout takes some 26 minutes to get to Severn Beach and back, making 2 tph a maximum service in the current state of infrastructure, and that only theoretical. Doubling that portion of line with a crossover and signal would make a 2 tph from SVB to Westbury easier to achieve, with 2 tph from SVB to Yate more straightforward. Waste trains could fit in without too much difficulty. At present, there is one a day each way, which would no longer have to reverse at St Andrews Road, or come via Bath.

[Bmblbzzz]

Re-reading this, I see that the plan is to have trains from SVB alternatively going to Yate or Portishead (as opposed to Westbury).

P.46, incidentally, refers to a 3tph service from SVB to 'BTM^▸ (Bristol Temple Meads (strictly, it should be BRI) but BTM is a commonly used alternative))' (presumably BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains))...  I'm not sure how all this fits in with the 4tph service from BRI to WSB^» (Westbury - next trains)... Confused? I certainly am.

I believed it was doable until I read this...